Neurobiology and Social Work.

Catalog description

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students who have completed the first year of the Master of Social Work degree, students in the mental health certificate or by permission of the program director. The course will cover the known brain research and its intersection with serious mental illness, including a discussion about how incorporating an understanding of brain function, brain dysregulation and diseases of the brain can impact service delivery given by social workers. Brain anatomy will be discussed in relation to the impact on trauma, attachment, grief, mental illnesses, psychopathology and genetics. Social workers will utilize this learning to further understand evidenced based interventions with clients. Discussion regarding the intersection of neurobiology and social work and the potential impacts on social justice issues, including interventions that positively change neural pathways, and understanding how person in environment impacts brain development over time will be included. Finally, the course will aid in understanding the impact of medications on the brain.